The ‘appy’ side of Sweden

I’ll admit it. I’m not exactly the most technologically savvy individual. I have been known to ask my husband to simply stand by my computer in order for his ‘techie vibes’ to magically repair whatever problem I’m having. According to him this situation can best be described as a P.I.C.N.I.C. (Problem In Chair, Not In Computer)…I resent that!! Oh well…the truth hurts sometimes.

So moving to Sweden has proven to be quite the challenge for me because this has got to be the most technologically astute country on the planet! It’s not that people are simply using technology throughout their day, but rather, to fully function and survive here requires a technological know-how, that frankly, I do not yet possess.

Apps…where do I start? Well, they are responsible for enabling people to seamlessly go about their day to day life; however, I didn’t realize how much of Swedish daily life is dependent upon them. For example, when inquiring about a bus ticket, I was told that they don’t sell them on the, bus but rather, I needed to simply find the app and pay. What…no tickets on the bus? Another situation involved me stressing because I couldn’t find 10 Krona (about $1.20) to buy my son a cinnamon bun after a soccer match. At this point, my husband laughed and said that I needed an app for that too! I think he’s secretly happy that I’m being forced into the ‘techie realm’. Finally, parking here is completely controlled by apps. There are machines, but quite a few aren’t functioning. So, depending upon which kommun you’re in, you need to upload the correct parking app. It may seem simple to some, but honestly, this is way out of my comfort zone. I no longer need to have a stash of coins in the car!

It’s not that the countries I’ve lived in before haven’t been technologically advanced, but rather, in Sweden you have to embrace technological advances and know how to use them! I’m sure with time, I will develop a more ‘appy’ approach to daily life here. Wish me luck!